I can’t believe it’s already time for turkey. I know many of you get saddled with Thanksgiving dinner at your house, and while it’s sure to be a lot of fun, it’s also a lot of work. So, I’m here to take the terrifying out of your turkey!
Have you ever considered using turkey breast instead of a whole turkey? You could even do several depending on how many people you need to feed. The reason I’m asking is because the whole turkey breasts provide a much easier alternative to the usual bird. They are smaller and more manageable, all white meat, and as I will show you, super easy to flavor up beautifully!
Ok, this is my favorite turkey recipe. There, I said it. I use turkey breast. Is that bad? I dont’ think so. I do half the work other people do, and get twice the flavor and I have leftovers, which is what its all about!!
Here’s the easy recipe:
1/4C olive oil, 3 tbsp. chopped fresh flatleaf parsley, 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, 1/2 tsp. lemon zest, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. fresh ground pepper, 1 – 4 to 5 lb. turkey breast, thawed,
Preheat oven to 350. Whisk dressing ingredients together until well blended. Rinse turkey breast and pat dry with a paper towl. Using your fingers, gently separate the skin from the breast meat. Pour about 2 tbsp. dressing evenly over the meat and, using your hands, rub generously over the meat. Massage it into the meat!! Stretch the skin back over the meat. Pin the skin around the sides of the breast using small wooden skewers or toothpicks (previously soaked in water), to prevent it from shrinking. Rub the rest of the dressing over the skin and the entire breast. Roast the turkey until the juices run clear, about 1 – 1 1.2 hours or 180 on a meat thermometer. Let sit 15 minutes before carving and serving.
Now, if you’re like me, you pay no attention to recipes and simply use them as a guideline. Feel free to add more lemon zest or any of the herbs if you’d like to up the flavor in a certain direction. But, using the recipe exactly as stated will give you a perfectly seasoned and moist turkey breast!
I hope you enjoy and I hope I’ve taken at least a little of the stress off your holiday!
